BOSTON, MA – James Carnes, a 61-year-old former officer of the Boston Police Department from Canton, was sentenced yesterday for committing substantial overtime fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton ordered Carnes to two years of supervised release, with the initial six months to be served under home detention, and imposed a $5,000 fine along with $20,106 in restitution.
Carnes admitted to submitting fraudulent overtime claims between July 2016 and February 2019. He pleaded guilty in April 2021 to charges of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds.
The fraudulent activities occurred during two specific overtime shifts at the department’s evidence warehouse. During the “purge” overtime shift, intended for clearing outdated evidence, Carnes regularly left two hours early. Meanwhile, in the “kiosk” overtime shift, where the task was to collect old prescription drugs from police districts for destruction, Carnes claimed nearly double the hours actually worked.
These fraudulent activities coincided with the Boston Police Department receiving substantial federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice, highlighting the impact of his actions on federally supported programs.
